Description of Problem or Issue In recent years, with the implementation of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, public school teachers are being evaluated more frequently, and with higher stakes at play. Many states rely on the scores of standardized tests given to students as a teacher evaluation tool.This new reality has both positive and negative outcomes. We will look at ways in which this kind of evaluation works, as well as ways in which it is lacking. In the ever-changing world of education, how can we maintain high standards for teachers while holding onto and respecting individual teaching and learning styles? Should teachers be evaluated based on student test scores?
Research Summary Maiko's Research:
When I search the "value-added" system, I found that there were a lot of people who disagree with this system. However, I think we cannot avoid this system if we really want to improve the quality of teachers. It is clear that we shouldn't evaluate the teachers by only student's academic achievement, but we need this system to enhance teacher's contribution to students. We invested a lot of money to get the number of teachers who have high quality of teaching skill. It seems that we just spent much money. Now is the time to change these situations. We cannot get different results if we repeat the same way to evaluate teachers. I found five useful resources and I got new perspectives of the "value-added" system by reading them. We shouldn't remove this system from teacher evaluation program, but we mustn't rely on this system to evaluate teachres. The most important thing is to combine measures of the teacher evaluation.
Cynthia's Research: According to my research it seems that there are several reasons why basing teacher evaluations on students standardized testing scores is definitely not the answer. Here are a few reasons why this is a negative way of evaluating. Teachers should be judged on so much more than tests scores as should students . testing takes away from students and teachers creativity.It can turn the classroom into a test prep room instead of a real classroom with learning and growth and uniqueness. let's talk about standardized testing alone. This system itself has flaws for example in time magazine and article i read titled, " The Case of the ‘Talking Pineapple,’ the Reading-Comprehension Test Stumper" explained a question that had been on a standardized test for a number of years that seemed to stump adults and students alike. the story was mimicked the tortoise and the hare except the tortoise was a pineapple and the hare won the race and at the end the other animal characters ate the pineapple and the question asked, "why did the animals eat the talking fruit, and which animal was wisest?" . To ask grade school students a question like this and then if they get it wrong blame the teacher is just wrong. An educator cannot just program information into a child and expect to get a perfect robotic result. Another reason evaluating teachers on standardized testing is not the way to go is because of students personal lives. every student comes from a different family, neighborhood socioeconomic class and culture. Different students may unfortunately face poverty or abuse and this influences the child's will or ability to learn. If a child has these problems at home more than likely they will not be attending school regularly and if they are may not be mentally focused. So to expect them to take one of these tests and then give the teacher a bad evaluation because the child did poorly ids not right, because there are many other factors included. In conclusion standardized test scores to not show s students growth in school, what they learned or discussed in class, what interests them. If a student does poorly on a standardized tests and to give the teacher a bad evaluation is saying they haven't learned anything at all that year, when that is not true.
Jennisis' Research: Looking through my articles, I saw a theme of the current opinion on teacher evaluations. Many thought that particular ones, like the four-point rating systemor the Education Added Assessment System really work in schools and will help pick out the best teachers and help those most in need. Another thing I noticed is the emphasis on teacher pressure with the evaluations that constantly keep changing. Every state has a different type of Evaluation system they follow. Another Angle I saw was as Rhode Island being one of the Race to the Top grantees it is shown that the top states are evaluated less than the lower states, thus creating alot more pressure on the lower states to become better.
Meghan's Research:
Looking through the research on how the current trend affects the overall job satisfaction of teachers, I was able to see that, for the most part, the added pressure of Race to the Top initiatives and the relative unknowns are causing teachers and administrators stress. However, if the emphasis is put on developing rather than measuring teacher performance, much of this can be relieved, (Marzano, 2012). When teachers become an active part of the evaluation process, and given frequent opportunity to make small adjustments, their experience is one of cooperation, (Bambrick-Santoyo, 2012).States participating in Race to the Top have added pressure to initiate comprehensive teacher evaluation systems, but even in those states that did not win any funding, the general feeling is that this is not going away, and eventually, all states will need to have such systems in place, (Cavanagh, 2011). When the results of teacher evaluation are tied to tenure and job advancement, the issue of teachers' unions comes up. There is a disconnect when it comes to protecting jobs and ensuring a quality workforce, although, through union support, Race to the Top is trying to alleviate that, (Cavanagh, 2011). In conclusion, the research and current environment certainly shows that more stringent teacher evaluations are a reality, but also a work in progress. With a steady hand and intelligent decisions, it seems that this can be a transition that could bring about a quality teaching work force and ensure that American children get high quality education. However, much care should be taken to see the whole picture, and not rely on student test scores.
Group Product Overview
We will start by watching a video on expert of teacher evaluations,
-Our group will give a power point presentation on Charlotte Danielson
discussing the pros and cons of teacher evaluation based on student testing.
We will discuss how this pressure affects teachers' individual styles and overall job satisfaction.
We will look at how individual students' socioeconomic status may affect teacher effectiveness, Race to the top's current evaluation standards and current districts views on Teacher evaluations.
-Finally, we will open up a discussion to the class to find out how, as potential future teachers, they feel about the current and future educational evaluations. We will give them an assignment to discuss and come up with some alternative methods of evaluation.
Standardized Test Scores
By: Meghan Weeden
Maiko Tsutsui
Cynthia Jackson
Jennisis Garcia
Description of Problem or Issue
In recent years, with the implementation of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, public school teachers are being evaluated more frequently, and with higher stakes at play. Many states rely on the scores of standardized tests given to students as a teacher evaluation tool.This new reality has both positive and negative outcomes. We will look at ways in which this kind of evaluation works, as well as ways in which it is lacking. In the ever-changing world of education, how can we maintain high standards for teachers while holding onto and respecting individual teaching and learning styles? Should teachers be evaluated based on student test scores?
Maiko's Research:
When I search the "value-added" system, I found that there were a lot of people who disagree with this system. However, I think we cannot avoid this system if we really want to improve the quality of teachers. It is clear that we shouldn't evaluate the teachers by only student's academic achievement, but we need this system to enhance teacher's contribution to students. We invested a lot of money to get the number of teachers who have high quality of teaching skill. It seems that we just spent much money. Now is the time to change these situations. We cannot get different results if we repeat the same way to evaluate teachers. I found five useful resources and I got new perspectives of the "value-added" system by reading them. We shouldn't remove this system from teacher evaluation program, but we mustn't rely on this system to evaluate teachres. The most important thing is to combine measures of the teacher evaluation.
Cynthia's Research:
According to my research it seems that there are several reasons why basing teacher evaluations on students standardized testing scores is definitely not the answer. Here are a few reasons why this is a negative way of evaluating. Teachers should be judged on so much more than tests scores as should students . testing takes away from students and teachers creativity.It can turn the classroom into a test prep room instead of a real classroom with learning and growth and uniqueness. let's talk about standardized testing alone. This system itself has flaws for example in time magazine and article i read titled, "
The Case of the ‘Talking Pineapple,’ the Reading-Comprehension Test Stumper" explained a question that had been on a standardized test for a number of years that seemed to stump adults and students alike. the story was mimicked the tortoise and the hare except the tortoise was a pineapple and the hare won the race and at the end the other animal characters ate the pineapple and the question asked,
"why did the animals eat the talking fruit, and which animal was wisest?" . To ask grade school students a question like this and then if they get it wrong blame the teacher is just wrong. An educator cannot just program information into a child and expect to get a perfect robotic result. Another reason evaluating teachers on standardized testing is not the way to go is because of students personal lives. every student comes from a different family, neighborhood socioeconomic class and culture. Different students may unfortunately face poverty or abuse and this influences the child's will or ability to learn. If a child has these problems at home more than likely they will not be attending school regularly and if they are may not be mentally focused. So to expect them to take one of these tests and then give the teacher a bad evaluation because the child did poorly ids not right, because there are many other factors included.
In conclusion standardized test scores to not show s students growth in school, what they learned or discussed in class, what interests them. If a student does poorly on a standardized tests and to give the teacher a bad evaluation is saying they haven't learned anything at all that year, when that is not true.
Jennisis' Research:
Looking through my articles, I saw a theme of the current opinion on teacher evaluations. Many thought that particular ones, like the
four-point rating systemor the Education Added Assessment System really work in schools and will help pick out the best teachers and help those most in need.
Another thing I noticed is the emphasis on teacher pressure with the evaluations that constantly keep changing. Every state has a different type of Evaluation system they follow. Another Angle I saw was as Rhode Island being one of the Race to the Top grantees it is shown that the top states are evaluated less than the lower states, thus creating alot more pressure on the lower states to become better.
Meghan's Research:
Looking through the research on how the current trend affects the overall job satisfaction of teachers, I was able to see that, for the most part, the added pressure of Race to the Top initiatives and the relative unknowns are causing teachers and administrators stress. However, if the emphasis is put on developing rather than measuring teacher performance, much of this can be relieved, (Marzano, 2012). When teachers become an active part of the evaluation process, and given frequent opportunity to make small adjustments, their experience is one of cooperation, (Bambrick-Santoyo, 2012).States participating in Race to the Top have added pressure to initiate comprehensive teacher evaluation systems, but even in those states that did not win any funding, the general feeling is that this is not going away, and eventually, all states will need to have such systems in place, (Cavanagh, 2011). When the results of teacher evaluation are tied to tenure and job advancement, the issue of teachers' unions comes up. There is a disconnect when it comes to protecting jobs and ensuring a quality workforce, although, through union support, Race to the Top is trying to alleviate that, (Cavanagh, 2011).
In conclusion, the research and current environment certainly shows that more stringent teacher evaluations are a reality, but also a work in progress. With a steady hand and intelligent decisions, it seems that this can be a transition that could bring about a quality teaching work force and ensure that American children get high quality education. However, much care should be taken to see the whole picture, and not rely on student test scores.
Group Product Overview
Visual Representation
Mind Map
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo8EyEdubkA
Charlotte Danielson, expert on Teacher Evaluation gives her opinion on teacher evaluation..
Research Questions and Reference Summaries
What are the different views on different teaching evaluations and teaching evaluations in general?
-Jennisis
What is the effect of teacher evaluations on overall job satisfaction-Meghan
What is the positive evidence that score the ideal way to evaluate teachers?-Maiko
What is the negative evidence that standardized testing should not be used to evaluate teachers?- Cynthia